Itty Bitty Nutella Cakes (Pioneer Woman- Year Four: Volume 6; September, 2013)

Prep time: 20 min

Ready in: 20 min
Serves: 6

Ingredients: 
1 whole, store-bought angel food or pound cake
Nutella
Cool Whip- thawed in the fridge (for Recipe Club, Liz made fresh whipped cream!)

Directions: 
- Slice cake in half lengthwise

- Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes

- Cut shapes in half through the middle so that they are the same shape, but shorter
- Spread Nutella on three thin slices of cake

- Stack them on top of each other and set on a dish

- Repeat with remaining slices

- Place dish in freezer until Nutella is very set, about 30 min

- Remove from freezer and frost with softened Cool Whip

- Place back into fridge to harden Cool Whip, about 30 min

- Liz garnished ours with fresh raspberries

*Liz found the recipe here

Onion Strings (Pioneer Woman- Year Four: Volume 6; September, 2013)

Prep time: 1 hour

Cook time: 30 min
Ready in: 1 hour, 30 min
Serves: 6- 8

Ingredients: 
3 large onions- sliced thinly

3 c. buttermilk
3 c. flour
4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1- 2 qt. canola oil
Pepper (to taste)

Directions: 
- Place onions in a baking dish, cover with buttermilk, and soak for at least an hour
- Combine dry ingredients and set aside
- Heat oil to 375 degrees
- Grab a handful of onions, throw into flour mixture, tap to shake off excess, and PLUNGE into hot oil
- Fry for a few minutes and remove as soon as golden brown
- Repeat with remaining onions


*Julie found the recipe here

Twice-Baked Potatoes (Pioneer Woman- Year Four: Volume 6; September, 2013)

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 1 hour, 30- 35 min
Ready in: 2 hours- 2 hours, 5 min
Serves: 8

Ingredients: 
4 potatoes- washed

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. Bacon Bits

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. cheddar or Jack cheese- grated

1/8 tsp. seasoned salt

1/8 tsp. pepper (more to taste)

1 green onion- thinly sliced (optional)

Milk (if needed)

Directions: 

- Pre-heat oven to 400

- Place potatoes on a cookie 

- Bake until cooked through, about 1 hour, 15 min

- While baking, slice butter into pats

- Place sliced butter, Bacon Bits, and sour cream in a large mixing bowl (but do not mix yet)

- When you remove the potatoes from the oven, reduce heat to 350

- A few minutes after you remove the baked potatoes from the oven, cut them each in half lengthwise

- Use a spoon to scrape the insides of each potato into the mixing bowl with other ingredients- being careful to keep the shape of the potato skins in tact

- Place the hollowed out potato skins back on the cookie sheet as you empty them

- Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes and mix them with the other ingredients in the bowl- mashing to desired consistency

- Add 1/4 c. cheese, seasoned salt, pepper, and onion and mix well

- If mixture is too thick, add milk 1 T. at a time to thin it

- Spoon filling into potato skins

- Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top of the filled potatoes

- Bake until cooked through, about 15- 20 min

*Jen found the recipe here

Beer-Braised Beef with Onions (Pioneer Woman- Year Four: Volume 6; September, 2013)

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 3 hours
Ready in: 3 hours, 15 min
Serves: 6

Ingredients: 
1 (2 1/2- 5 lb.) whole chuck roast
Salt (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)
3 T. olive oil
4 whole onions- peeled, sliced thick
5 cloves garlic- chopped
2 cans beer
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. rosemary

Directions: 
- Pre-heat oven to 275
- Heat oil in a large dutch oven over high heat
- Season meat generously with salt and pepper
- Sear meat on both sides, about 2 min per side
- Remove meat from pan
- Lower heat to medium
- Cook onions and garlic in pot, stirring, for 30 seconds
- Pour in beer and add thyme, rosemary, and salt to taste- about 1 tsp. (do not under salt!)
- Add meat to pot, stir to submerge, and place lid on top
- Cook in oven until meat is fork tender and falling apart, 2 1/2- 3 hours
- Shred meat with two forks
- Serve on dinner plates and spoon juice (for Recipe Club, I added a bit of flour to some of the juices to make gravy) and onions over the top


*I found the recipe here

Drop Biscuits and Sausage Gravy (Pioneer Woman- Year Four: Volume 6; September, 2013)

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 30 min
Ready in: 40 min
Serves: 8- 10

Ingredients: 
BISCUITS:

3 c. flour
2 T. baking powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne powder

1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 c. unsalted butter- cut into pieces, kept cold/ refrigerated
1 3/4 c. milk

3/4 c. cheddar cheese- shredded

1/4 c. chives- finely chopped

Melted butter (optional- for brushing)

Coarse salt (optional- for garnish)

GRAVY:

1/2 lb. breakfast sausage

3 T. flour

1 1/2- 2 c. milk (more to taste)

1/4 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. pepper (more to taste)

Directions: 
- Pre-heat oven to 400
- Place 3 c. flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine
- Add cold butter and pulse until dry ingredients and butter are mostly combined
- Drizzle in milk and pulse just until dough comes together
- Do not over mix
- Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto baking trays and bake until golden brown, 8- 10 min
- If desired, brush with melted butter and/ or sprinkle with coarse salt after you remove from oven
- Keep biscuits warm
- While baking biscuits, with your fingers, tear small pieces of sausage and add in a single layer to a large, heavy skillet
- Brown sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink
- Reduce heat to medium-low
- Sprinkle half of gravy flour and stir so that sausage soaks it all up, then add remaining flour gradually
- Stir and cook for 1- 2 more min
- Pour in milk, stirring constantly
- Cook gravy, stirring frequently, until it thickens, 10- 12 min
- Sprinkle in seasoned salt and pepper and continue cooking until very thick
- If it gets too thick too soon, add another 1/4 c. milk, or more if needed.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning
- Arrange warm biscuits on a platter, pour gravy into a bowl for dipping, and serve immediately


*Meredith found the recipe here